[NTLUG:Discuss] Fry's and Linux... a comment

[Andrew Brown]

As a relatively new user myself and not overly technical (but more so than the 
average bear) I can say that it is a good thing. Linus was about the end user 
even though he came from a techo'centric world. His dream of a pure end user 
system has not completely been realized but more users will push that ahead!

The question is, will the every day Joe be happy with the performance of 
Linux? They expect Windows ease, will they get it? They are used to running 
up to Fry's and buying a pre-packaged piece of software for the system. As we 
know their isn't any. Weekend warrior computer guys and gals will find a bit 
of a challenge and a change of mind set in the experience (as my personal 
step into Linux has shown). Regular folks looking for a bargain will find 
some disappointment, but we may get some real converts out of the process.

My thought is it is a good start. Our job as Linux heads is to help help help 
them see the value and fun of using Linux. NTLUG has done me right as a new 
user... so I am quite optimistic! But we have to get our name out there! 
Maybe a sign posted in Fry's would help!? ha 

Signed a Happy NTLUG 

On Wednesday 16 June 2004 03:02 pm, Lance Simmons wrote:
> I sent this note on May 29th, which was while the NTLUG site had died,
>
> and I still welcome comments:
> > I think this has been talked about before, but here goes again.  As a
> > lot of you know, Fry's sells computers with Linspire pre-installed.  I
> > wasn't previously aware of the scale on which they're doing this.
> > Yesterday they sold over 1,000 units in the DFW area.  There were 300
> > boxes at the Irving store, the guy there said there were 1,000 at the
> > Plano store, and there were probably a couple hundred at the Arlington
> > store.  At $99, they were going fast.
> >
> > The machine came with Linspire installed, together with a Linspire
> > recovery disk.  After fooling around with the Linspire desktop for a
> > couple of minutes, just to see what it looked like, I wiped the hard
> > drive and did a network install of Debian.  Probably lots of people
> > installed Windows, but I wonder how many new Linux users there are in
> > the Metroplex this weekend?
> >
> > I don't know whether these people will think of themselves as Linux
> > users, because the Linspire desktop is so Linspire-centric.  I guess
> > they'll end up going to the Linspire website for support.  But even if
> > they don't really understand what Linux is, the fact is that they're
> > using Linux.
> >
> > Is it a good thing for the development of Linux that Fry's is flooding
> > the market with cheap Linspire boxes?  (I can't get over the fact that
> > Linspire boots into a desktop running as root!)  Does anyone actually
> > use Linux on these machines who wouldn't otherwise be using Linux?
> > Will these new users, if there are any, be able to find NTLUG?